Princess Ophelia frowned when she heard her older brother. "You already ask me that so many times, Gus. I already lost count."
"I don't understand, Ophel," Crown Prince Augustus argued. "Why must it be him? You can marry someone from our empire and stay near me and Father. I can't imagine you living so far away from us."
Ophelia Arille chuckled at her brother's words. "I'm not a child anymore, brother. I'm already 20."
"Don't bother to say that," Augustus Arille said, making a dismissive gesture. "No matter what your age is, you will always be a child in me and Father's eyes."
The Princess simply nodded as she was so used to hearing that. "You insisted to come with me. What about the Crown Princess?"
"Do you think I will let you wander here alone for more than a week? Elysia also agreed with me," Crown Prince Augustus simply said. "You should just inform Emperor Kalos that you're already here. Why did you tell the envoy to say that you will be here after a week?"
"I already told you before," Ophelia sighed. "I want to spend some time to get to know Crown Prince Andres without revealing myself to him."
"This is what I don't understand." Augustus looked at her, confused. "You don't even know him well. Why did you beg Father to let him marry you?"
"Later," the Princess simply said with a little smile. "I will tell you later."
* * *
It was afternoon in Qalagon and Arin and Iria were spending their time outside the palace. With the help of Orius, Emperor Kalos already sent someone to inform them about the alliance marriage and the date of the wedding. However, the messenger was still on his way and they still haven't heard anything.
Like they often did, the King and Queen sat in the courtyard of the Magistrate's office while people surrounded them. Even when he was the Crown Prince, Arin often did this so that he could hear the people's problems personally.
"We're so glad that you find our children for us, Your Majesties. We heard that you will be coming here today. So, many of us came to express our gratitude," one middle-aged man said to the King and Queen.
Many agreed with him and they kept on thanking the royal couple.
After sending back the Minister of War that night, Arin sent the Enaerions to retrieve the children. As he want to keep the source as secret as possible, he thought that sending normal soldiers would be a hassle.
The children were rescued in a good shape. Just like Hanson claimed, they were safe and fine. The Minister of War didn't leave his mansion since that night as the King ordered and the officials thought that he was sick.
The truth didn't even cross their minds!
The Prime Minister was the only one who knew the truth as the King told him about it. After a few days, the Minister will resign from his post, citing health issues. Then he will reside at the Caria Province in the south with his wife. Hanson and others will still be in the capital.
The officials won't know the real reason and this was what Arin wanted. For the sake of his friend, he didn't want to shame the Lorin family name.
"We're only doing what we should," Arin spoke up. "If you have any problem, don't hesitate to report to the Magistrate. Many things can be prevented if we take action early."
"We will remember that, Your Majesty," the parents replied with a smile of gratitude plastering their faces.
For the next hour or two, the couple spent their time chatting with the people and hearing out their problems. Finally, everyone left, giving them a break.
"Today is less cold than other days," Arin said to Iria. "I think we choose the perfect day."
"I'm glad to come out again," Iria promptly said with a little smile. "Staying indoors too much is always boring to me."
"I know," Arin muttered. "We can go out together often... but not on colder days."
When she nodded, one thing crossed his mind.
"What about Prime Minister Dallas?" he asked. "Did you hear anything from him?"
"No," she said, sounding a bit downhearted. "I don't know what I should do." Narrowing her eyes at her shoulder, she added, "With this, I don't even know if I'll be able to go to Jerivia if needed."
"Aryan Tripas is quite busy these days," Arin pointed out. "I don't know what he's up to but I don't think it will be good. Crown Prince Emor is in touch with me but... he can't do much when it comes to his uncle."
"Emor Tripas is not like other royals, Arin," Iria calmly said. "I think you understand him quite well."
Arin thought about it and nodded. "That's right. I don't know much about him but I just feel like he's trustworthy. Putting aside what he did before, there is something unique in him."
He didn't know much about him? Does that mean... he didn't know the Crown Prince's past?
Iris thought that he knew everything.
While Iria was bewildered by what she just realized, something which he forgot suddenly crossed Arin Helev's mind. With his mind back to the day when the assassination attempt against Iria happened, he raised a brow.
"The number of children we rescued from Minister Dilan's secret mansion was 33, right?" he immediately asked Iria who seemed to be quite surprised.
However, Iria nodded. "Why did you bring that up now?"
Arin Helev thought of what Officer Dillon said to him that day. Didn't more than a hundred homeless children disappeared too?
What about those children then?
"What is it, Arin?" Iria asked, noticing the troubled face of the King.
"I was informed about the disappearance of more than a hundred homeless children but with all incidents lately, I completely forget about it," Arin informed her.
He thought that everything was dealt but... it didn't seem to be the case.
What if those children already leave Qalagon?
However, this won't be the worse case.
The real problem was that... what if someone happen to train them here in Qalagon?
Interior conflict was always the deadliest.....
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